Roundup: South Carolina bests UF women's hoops

Special to Gatorsports.com

Published: Sunday, March 3, 2013 at 11:36 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, March 3, 2013 at 11:36 p.m.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Freshman Sydney Moss recorded her third career double-double and led three Gators in double-figure scoring, but it wasn't enough to upset No. 14 South Carolina, which earned the 67-56 decision at Colonial Life Arena in the final regular-season game for both teams.
Both teams now travel to Duluth, Ga., for the SEC Tournament that gets underway on Wednesday at The Arena at Gwinett Center.
Ninth-seeded Florida (17-13, 6-10 SEC) will play eighth-seeded Arkansas (18-11, 6-10) at noon Thursday on the tourney's second day. The game will be televised on Sun Sports (in Gainesville on Cox, channel 48).
Florida defeated Arkansas 69-58 last Thursday in its home finale, the only regular-season game between the two programs. The winner of the game meets top-seeded Tennessee (23-6, 14-2 SEC) at noon Friday.

Florida was within two points, 44-42, with 8:30 remaining before South Carolina (22-6, 10-5 SEC) ripped off a 19-7 run and the Gators couldn't recover. Ten of SC's points during the game-changing run came from the free-throw line, where it scored its final eight points as well as 16 of its 24 attempts during the second frame.
"They did a great a job. Offensive rebounding is their game and that's what they did, especially in the first half," UF coach Amanda Butler said. "We were doing what we were supposed to for the most part, except boxing out and getting those rebounds. They continually got to the free throw line which is hard to withstand.”
Women's tennis: Fourth-ranked Florida (7-2, 1-1 SEC) lost 4-3 at sixth-ranked Texas A&M (8-1, 2-0 SEC).
The setback snapped the Gator's 37-match SEC regular-season win streak. Including SEC Tournament and NCAA Championship matches, the Gators had won 45 consecutive outings against league teams.
Top-ranked Lauren Embree earned a 6-4, 7-5 win against sixth-ranked Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar.
The Gators return to action Wednesday at Florida State.
Men's tennis: Florida (7-4, 1-0) opened SEC play with a 4-3 win over visiting No. 11 Texas A&M (9-4, 1-0).
“I love it,” first-year UF coach Bryan Shelton said. “This was great for our team, great for our program. This match today was the start of a new season, the SEC season. For me, it's the first time through. To start with a win after losing four in-a-row, we're feeling great about it.”
Winning for the Gators were: Florent Diep at No. 2 singles, Shane Vinsant at No. 4, Jackson Withrow at No. 5, Behzad Minavi at No. 6 and Jeremy Effending-Jordan Szabo at No. 3 doubles.
Florida returns to action Friday at South Carolina.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Freshman Sydney Moss recorded her third career double-double and led three Gators in double-figure scoring, but it wasn't enough to upset No. 14 South Carolina, which earned the 67-56 decision at Colonial Life Arena in the final regular-season game for both teams.
Both teams now travel to Duluth, Ga., for the SEC Tournament that gets underway on Wednesday at The Arena at Gwinett Center.
Ninth-seeded Florida (17-13, 6-10 SEC) will play eighth-seeded Arkansas (18-11, 6-10) at noon Thursday on the tourney's second day. The game will be televised on Sun Sports (in Gainesville on Cox, channel 48).
Florida defeated Arkansas 69-58 last Thursday in its home finale, the only regular-season game between the two programs. The winner of the game meets top-seeded Tennessee (23-6, 14-2 SEC) at noon Friday.
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Florida was within two points, 44-42, with 8:30 remaining before South Carolina (22-6, 10-5 SEC) ripped off a 19-7 run and the Gators couldn't recover. Ten of SC's points during the game-changing run came from the free-throw line, where it scored its final eight points as well as 16 of its 24 attempts during the second frame.
"They did a great a job. Offensive rebounding is their game and that's what they did, especially in the first half," UF coach Amanda Butler said. "We were doing what we were supposed to for the most part, except boxing out and getting those rebounds. They continually got to the free throw line which is hard to withstand.”
<b>Women's tennis:</b> Fourth-ranked Florida (7-2, 1-1 SEC) lost 4-3 at sixth-ranked Texas A&M (8-1, 2-0 SEC).
The setback snapped the Gator's 37-match SEC regular-season win streak. Including SEC Tournament and NCAA Championship matches, the Gators had won 45 consecutive outings against league teams.
Top-ranked Lauren Embree earned a 6-4, 7-5 win against sixth-ranked Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar.
The Gators return to action Wednesday at Florida State.
<b>Men's tennis:</b> Florida (7-4, 1-0) opened SEC play with a 4-3 win over visiting No. 11 Texas A&M (9-4, 1-0).
“I love it,” first-year UF coach Bryan Shelton said. “This was great for our team, great for our program. This match today was the start of a new season, the SEC season. For me, it's the first time through. To start with a win after losing four in-a-row, we're feeling great about it.”
Winning for the Gators were: Florent Diep at No. 2 singles, Shane Vinsant at No. 4, Jackson Withrow at No. 5, Behzad Minavi at No. 6 and Jeremy Effending-Jordan Szabo at No. 3 doubles.
Florida returns to action Friday at South Carolina.